Safety device for firearms.



G. H. TANSLEY.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIREARMS. APPLICATION HLUS NOV. a. 1915.

1,234,961 Patented July 31, 1917.

Witnesses. IIWE ribs 21:.

GEORGE H. TANSLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, -ASSI GN9RTO OOIJ'IVS'I'ATENTJIIEE ARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD; CONNEGT-ICUTyA OI CONNECTICUT.

SAFETY' "DEVICE FOR Specifleationot Letters Patent.

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Application flledflovcmbcr' 8J8. smarmriaaaaa.

To all whom itmay concern.

Be it known that I, (incline "I-I. "Innsm-Jr, a. citizen of theUnitedfitates -resi'ding at Hartford, in the county of 'Iiartford and State ofCon-necticut, have invented .a new and useful Safety Device for 'fFirearms, of which the following is 211 specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawinfis, forming a part hereof.

' his invention relates to. improvements in safety devices for. magazine firearms of the class in "which the cartridges-are supplied in a separate magazine .adaptedfor-insertion into a sea-tin the body of the arm and for bein securely locked therein in such .a manner t 'at the magazine maybeat will releasediand removed from-the arm. This in vention more especially relates. .towautomatic small-arms and particularly "to automatic pistolsof this class, with wh1ch,.asshown :by e erience, certain, dangerous accidents are lia letooccur, whensuch armsare handled bly persons not thoroughly acquainted with t eir construction and operation; even though the arms may have been specially rovided with automatic and manual safety evices by which the. firing of them is made impossible unless, with all parts in the proper firing position, the trigger is pulled.

The dan erous accidents re erred to are caused by t e erroneous belief that after the removal of the cartridge magazine from its seat in the arm, the firing of-the same becomes positively impossible; whereas in fact, a loaded cartridge may have been previously transferredfrom the magahinetothe barrel of the armand may still-remain inthe chamber ofthesame liable to besexp'lo'ded if the trigger should be pulled even after "the re moval of the-magazine.

The object ofthe present invention is to always andpositively prevent such accidenr tal firing and this object is attained by providin a device of simpleand practical construction whereby the removal of the cartridge magazine from the arm serves to automatically interrupt --the connection between ntheetrigger and the "firing mechanism of the arm,so-that, unless themagazine is-in its proper position initsseat,-=the"-pul11ng ofthe trig er cannot cause the releaseof-athe firing mecanism or the-explosion of a cartiidge in the barrel.

The embodiment of my improvements il- -upon a springepressed fcllower'lin the lengthwise movement and restrict the present invention-to:aniautomatic pistol.

In the. accompanying drawings:

Figure 1, is a longitudinal werticalsectimi of an automatic- =pistol,' withsthe cartridge magazine locked in its seat,- theibreech closed and the firing mechanismweockedrnready. for firing, the forward pcrtienwdfi-athe breechsli de beingshown in -a5side-view.

Fig.2, is a view similaril, vF ig. 1, but with the cartridge magaaine unlocked partly withdrawn downward;efrem"its seat, and with the connection lbetweemtheatri r and cockedfiringmiechanismeintcmu Fig. -13, showsca topwiewlmiiraasifie view of theeonnectorf, idetached.

Fig. 4, a shows 'catop view andwa-iside view of the disconnector, detached.

Similar letters Prefer ;to similar liPart-s th roughout' theseveral-wiews.

In the "pistol sreprescntcdl infithe 1 is the frame, 2 the barrel andi3vithe fbreechslide. The top of :the 'F'framel upon the forward portion 0f Whichithe'barrel Q l -is mounted, fonnsapseat forathevreciprocating breechslide 3. In rear "of the barrelEQ the up er part of the frame formsz-rtheflrcceiver an the lower part"the-, ,gri*p crihaeniiile,ath hollow inside :of which ,gprowides the seat for the reception "of the cartridge m; vzine 5, whichr-is a'tubehold' ia'num;

of cartridges one above 1:0

manner. Theimargazineifi limo the grip :fro -b "lcw,' its top communicating with the receiver, and ewith athe :rear births barrel, and at each opening andclosing movement of thebreechslide 'a'a cartri fed'from the'ma zine toithe barrel-i2. barrel 2 is fixe' -.upon :the frame against rear :of barrel is closed "by the Pbreeclibolt -14 which forms the rear pprticn of the -=breechsl-ide x8, "forward" of the .ireechbolt 54 the breechslide 3 extends in semi-tabular formxinclosingzthe barrel 2 at .its :and sides. sides of the -'breechslide E3 everlap @thcse "of the heme '1, and are rovifletl with longitudinal ribs "interlocking corresponding grooves in rthe sides of the as 52130 drawings ia lock the breechslide 3 vertically to the frame 1 and guide it in its reciprocations thereon. At the forward end the breechslide 3 is closed at the bottom b a depending front abutment, tubular in orm and parallel to the axis of the slide.

In front of the grip the top of the frame 1 extends forward beneath the barrel and provides a seat for the reaction-spring 6 and its guide-rod 7, and for the depending front abutment of the breechslide. The rear end of the reaction-s ring 6 is supported by the head of the guie-rod 7 resting a ainst the end of the seat in the frame, whi e the forward end of the reaction-spring bears upon a shoulder in the front abutment of the breechslide; the tension of the reactionspring 6 thus yieldingly keeps the breechslide 3 in the forward closed position, while the front abutment limits the rearward movement of the breechslide upon the frame and positively prevents the breechslide from being rearwardly thrown from the frame.

In front of the grip the trigger 8 is located in the trigger-guard.

The breechbolt 4, carries the combined firing-pin and. hammer 9, the hammer is hollow and in it the forward portion of the mainspring 10' is seated, the rear end of which is supported'upon a guide-rod 11, the head of which rests against an upwardly projecting abutment 12 upon the rear end of the frame 1, which closes the hammer-seat in the breechbolt 4. The hammer 9 has under its rear enda rib 13 guided in a longitudinal slot in the bottom of the breechbolt.

Below the breechbolt and in rear of the grip the sear 14 is mounted upon a pivot-pin in the frame, and a connector 15 extends from the trigger 8 upward and rearward to the front of the sear 14, and serves to transmit the movement of the trigger 8 to the sear 14. The forward end of the connector 15 extends into a recess in the trigger 8 and rests upon a shoulder on the same in rear of which the connector has the form of a stirrup for the free passage through it of the magazine, the rear of the stirrup being closed by a transverse bar carrying on its left side a rearward extension, see Fig. 3.

A flat bifurcated spring 16 is arranged in the grip, the upper end of one of. its leaves bearing against the beveled end of the connector yieldingly holds the connector 15 and the trigger 8 in forward position, while the other leaf rests against the sear 14 above its pivot and yieldingly holds the rearwardly extending arm of the sear in the raised position. This arm of the sear corresponds in location and thickness with the central slot in the. bottom of the breechbolt 4, and, in its raised position the arm of the sear projects into the path of the rib 13 under the hammer, the upper rear corner of this sear thus forms the sear-point for engaging and holding cooked the hammer 9, the forward end of the rib of the hammer forming the cocknotch of the same. The forward up er nose of the sear 14 is normally engage by the transverse bar of the connector when the breechbolt 4 is in closed firing position and the hammer is cocked, see Fig. 1, so that by a pull on the trigger 8 the connector 15 will turn the sear 14 and cause its rear arm to move downward so as to release the cooked hammer.

On the top of the end of the rearward ex tension of the connector 15 a rounded projection is provided and a corresponding recess in the bottom of thebreechbolt 4 is so located that when the breechslide is in its forward firing position the projection may rise into the recess thereby allowing the connector to rise into its operative position in which the rearward movement of the trigger will cause the connector to turn the sear so as to release the hammer for firing; but if the breechslide 3 is moved to the rear the rounded forward end of the recess will force the rear end of the connector 15 downward and thereby lower the transverse bar of the same so as to stand below the forward nose of the sear. 14, where it cannot effect the turning of the sear. This arrangement being a positive safety device by means of which the cooked hammer is prevented from being released for firing unless the breechslide is in the proper forward firing position.

All the features so far herein shown and described are old and well known ones of the pistol represented, but as my present novel improvement is closely connected and combined with them in its construction and operation, a ready and clear understanding of the novel improvement cannot be obtained without reference to the older features.

Near the top of the magazine seat and a short distance below the bottom of the breechbolt 4 a recess is cut in both side walls of the seat, the top and bottom of the recess being horizontal or parallel with the axis of the breechslide and the depth of the cut equal to that of the inclined recess in which the stirrup-shaped connector15 is fitted to freely slide without interfering with the cartridge magazine which it surrounds on both sides and at rear and front.

In this upper horizontal recess the disconnector 17 is fitted to freely slide, it being I shaped like the forward half of the looped portion of the connector, so that it surrounds the front of the magazine without touching the sidesof the same.- In Fig. 4 the disconnector 17 is shown detached in a top view and a side view. The upper recess extends forward some distance into the frame and allows the semi-circular front portion of the disconnector 17 to enter thereinto. The two sides of the disconnector 17 extend rearward See Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

until they meet with the nppersu'rfaceof the side bars of the connector 15, wherethe ends of. the --disoonneotor are preferably inclined forward and downward to correspond with the inclination of the connector 15,

In front of the disoonneetor 17, a hole in the frame extends forward into theseat of the reaction-spring 6 below the barrel, and a rod fitted in the rear end of the reactionspring :guide-rod 7, vprojects through the I hole and rests .agaitnstxthe front end 10f the disconneetor 17. By-this-wmeans zthext'ension of the reaction-spring wiswexerted to yieldingly press the *disconne'ctor l17hrearward.

When vthe cartridge magazine :5 :is pushed upward into the pistol, its*upper ifrontiportion encounters the diseonneotor 17 and as this forward part of the top -of"' the amalgazine is "rounded verticall y and horizontally and the innerface of the ldiscon'neetorI17wis bevelecl, see Figs. 2 and 4, the last of the 'upward movement of the magazine forces the disconnector 17 forward-against."the-tension of the spring *and "thereby withdraws the rear ends of its side bars from the connector 15, whichythus released, iatroneerises under the pressure of the :longer leaf of the spring -16, if the breehslide liswinv-the "forward firing position and thus uplaces the connector in the operativeposition in "which :it

can turn the sear .to release .the hammer when :thetrigger is pulled. .SeeilFig. 1.

On withdrawal :oftheuma'gazine I from'the pistol ctheidisconnector 1-7 "is at vonce released and moved rearwardwby-:the .ipressure of :the

ytor is in its "operative w-position see Fig. '2,

and has :lowered the (connector vto rprevent its operation oi the sear,v force applied; upon the vtrigger aGtIlI10t"thI()W tllB disconnector from its operative position 3 as the-fiat :angle at which its rear end' rests :npontheeonneetorprevents the latter from moving the diseonneotor forward, the' force applied bydthe trigger pressing the vdisconnector upward rather than forward. llhere fore,-wliile-the disconnector :depends upon a spring for mov *ing it "intoizts operative rear .;sp'osit1on,nit

positivelyremains in said position-independ- -ent'ly ofrthe spring.

It -iwill be understood @that "the construcmagazine seat, =a springs fOIVmOWlI} diseonn ector I "rearward and; thereby-moving said connector out OfMOPBI'IttISCB 'EPQBLUIDB,

l-havingsa @connee'tor sextendmggon i'zhoflt 10f themagazinewrearwandlandmpwar i said trigger to wsa id :searu-andeawspni yieldingly' holding said eonnectorlin sits op 'erative position, a :disconneetorifitted itots'lide horizontally in said :grip vnearitheatop lei :the "magazine seat, and "sto 1 ?be :engaged by said ifonw ard' ithereby when i; the magazine isz-iiill-ywinserted nii'i the lgni p; and a spring for :moving said idisoonneetor magazine and EIHOVB tion 1-way "bexatvw i lil anodiifiediby providing a separate vspring or 'torcling'the diseonneetor rearward insteadof-depending up'onwithe reaction spring.

What I claim and'cdesires to secure by'llLetters Patent, is

1.- In 1 an" automatic "firearm having :a :detaohahle cartridge magazine "seated in the tgrip, a "trigger in iront and :a ilfiringr mechamsm comprising a pivoted Sear-$8116.13, sear spring inwrear of and :above asaiidqr-grip, lend havingwa cconnectorgextending =on lbot of the: magazine rear-w and land aupw :said 1 trigger to rrsaid s-sear; and spring for y-ieldingly iholding zsaidi ceonneetor m its-zzop- 'erati've position,

horizontally in saidrggl'r'ip :near the-mop when the magazinetis xmovediazwwyifrom its fully inserted gposition.

H12. In an automatic H firearm dialling :a adewtacha'ble cartridge iimagazineuisemtedji-in vthe :grip, a tr ggers: I 'vmsm compmsin'g vagpivoted" :sea and 1a [sear spring in rear Eof aandral'bove rearward rand therebyimovingasaid= connector out of operative position "Whenithe magazine is movedrawayefrom- Fits fu'l'ly .s insented aposition. ,In an automatic afireanm' @having. .a 1deta'chable cartridge :ama'gaz-ine eheated in the grip, awtrigger in itrontzand aiifimng :meehaf nism comprising a, pwotedrsear land :a soar spring inwrear of :and above saidggrip, and havinga connector extending conib'oth sides of the magazinerearw ard land upwardzzfrom said trigger s=towsaiid a-sear, and aspiring am 'yieldin'gly raising said =conneetor "lto communicwte the imovement ofwsaiid afti iiggerito isaid =sear,ra bifurcated disconneotorifitted mo -slide horizontally in said :gripmear fihe stop L-df :the magazine seat and "a :1 springiior z m'oving said di-seonnector rear-ward and thereby iinter- 'rupting "the "GOIIIIBCtlOIHbQtWBBII said litrigger and saidwsear.

4. In :an automatic pistol having a fide- ;.tu:ehahle magazine seated .ElLl'l the :grip, 'a

:t nigger 'inw'front and a soar and; sear -spizing inl'ear andiahove-saidggnip, and having :a i looped -eonneotor extending -2rearward :and

upward "from ssaid trigger to a-sai'd-sseer, and 1a spring for yieldingly holding esaid connector in operativegposition, issaid magazine being open on top, and in front rounded horizontally and vertically, a bifurcated disconnector sliding horizontally in said grip near the top of said magazine seat, and a spring yieldingly holding said disconnector rearward and moving said connector out of operative position when said magazine is removed from its seat, but whereby the magazine When adjusted in its seat forces said disconnector forward from its operative position.

This specification signed and witnessed this first day of November, 1916.

GEORGE H. TANSLEY.

In the presence of O. J. Emm'rs, A. L. Umcn. 

